Disposable dispensing container



Jan. 17,- 1967 LARSEN 3,298,575

DISPOSABLE DISPENSING CONTAINER I Filed April 19, 1965 United States Patent N 3,298,575 DISPOSABLE DISPENSING CONTAINER Norman Bernard Larsen, Collegeville, Pa., assignor to Matrix Laboratories, Inc., Collegeville, Pa., a corporationiof' Pennsylvania Filed Apr. 19, 1965, Ser. No. 449,212

4 Claims. (Cl. 222399) This i n vention relates to a lightweight disposable or expendable container. Preferably, the container is a square or rectangular one-gallon container for draught typ beer.

The container of the present invention is an inexpensive. disposable type container which may be blow-molded from a polymeric material such as polyethylene or polypropylene. Alternatively, the container may be made from a polymer coated paper product such as cardboard or paperboard, or may be made from steel foil.

1 The container is designed to be merchandised with a galloni'of beer therein with a pressure chamber above the beer. A means is supported by and forms a part of the container for selectively introducing an oxygen-free gas into the chamber. Preferably, the oxygen-free gas is an inert gas such as carbon dioxide. The purpose of the gas is to prevent spoilage of the beer while providing a discharge assistant. A selectively operable discharge means such as a valved spigot is preferably provided on the container. When the beer is completely discharged from the container, the same is discarded.

bon dioxide into the chamber above the beer maybe selectively operable from without the container. Alternatively, the means may be automatic and fixedly disposed within the container above the liquid level as will be made clear hereinafter.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an expendable container for draught-type beer.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a draught beer container which avoids the inconveniences associated with such devices heretofore such as the necessity for pumps, returning the container for the deposit, ease of-handling and operation, etc.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a disposablebeer container having means for pressurizing the chamber above the level of the beer therewithin to prevent spoilage and provide a discharge assistant.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings forms which are presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and instrumentalities shown.

FIGURE'l is a perspective view of a container in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a front elevation view partly in section of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 but illustrating the operative disposition of the semi-permeable membrane.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein like numerals indicate like elements, there is shown in FIGURE 1 a container in accordance with the present invention designated generally as 10.

The container 10 is a disposable or expandable container which may be made from either a blow-molded polymeric material, a polymer coated paper product, or steel foil. Suitable polymeric materials include polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, etc. The container 10 is generally in the form of a cube and preferably has a capac- "ice ity so as to contain a gallon of bear therewithin with a pressure chamber thereabove.

The container 10 includes a top wall 12, bottom wall 14, front wall 16, back wall 18, and side walls 20 and 22. A well 24 is integral with the top wall 12 and depends therefrom. The well 24 terminates at its lower end in an inwardly directed flange. An inert gas source 26 is supported by the well 24 and forms an integral part of the container 10. Gas source 26 may be a pressurized container having a valved discharge port 28 communicating with the pressure chamber 22 and an external actuator 30. By application of pressure in the direction of the arrow, actuator 30 will open the valve so that an inert oxygen-free gas such as carbon dioxide under pressure will be introduced from source 26 into the chamber 42.

The container 10 is preferably provided with a filling hole 32 in the top wall 12. The filling hole 32 facilitates the introduction of beer 40 within the container 10. Thereafter, the filling hole 32 may be permanently closed in any convenient manner. When the container 10 is made fromla thermoplastic polymeric material, the filling hole 32 may be heat sealed so as to close the same as illustrated. Other equivalent means may be utilized to close the filling hole 32.

The front wall 16 is provided With an integral well 34 extending inwardly. The well 34 has an opening at its innermost end. A bellows 36 has its annular periphery secured around the opening in the well 34 in any convenient manner. By making bellows 36 from a thermoplastic polymeric material as described above, the end of the bellows may be heat-sealed to the well 34. Byusing a bellows 36, as part of a discharge means, the same may be conveniently collapsed into the wall 34. This will facilitate storage and stacking within storage areas such as warehouses and the like. The discharge means preferably includes a selectively operable spigot 38.

As pointed out above, thejcapacity of the container 10 is slightly more than the quantity of beer 40 thereby providing a pressure chamber 42 above liquid level.

As the beer 40 is being discharged through the spigot 38, the inert gas within chamber 42 assists in discharge of the beer 40. As the discharge pressure decreases due to withdrawal of the beer 40, the pressure may be increased by applying finger pressure against actuator 30. Spoilage of the beer 40 is prevented by the inert oxygenfree gas such as carbon dioxide. If desired, the gas source 26 may be of the aerosol type and may have a discharge control valve which will prevent overpressurization of the chamber 42. When the beer 40 is completely discharged, the container 10 is discarded.

In FIGURES 3 and 4, there is illustrated another embodiment of the present invention designated generally as 10. The container 10' is identical with the container 10 except thatv as will be made clear hereinafter. Accordingly, corresponding elements are provided with corresponding primed numerals.

The container 10 is identical with the container 10 except for the inert gas source. In container 10, there is fixedly supported in the chamber 42' an envelope 44. Envelope 44 is a semi-permeable heat-sealed envelope which may be made from polyethylene, Mylar, polyvinyl alcohol, Nylon 6, ethyl-vinyl acetate, polyvinyl butyral, etc., depending upon the type of vapor transmission desired.

The envelope 44 preferably contains a quantity of a suitable reactant with moisture, such as aluminum carbide and sodium bicarbonate to create a reversible reaction through the walls of the envelope 44 in the form of carbon dioxide. By varying the quantities of the reactants, the pressure in the container 10' may be varied. As the container 10' is evacuated due to discharge of the beer, additional diffusion will continue. As shown in FIGURE 4, the envelope 44 is in its expanded condition as a result of moisture reacting with the reactants. The semi-permeable membranes of the envelope 44 permit gas to pass therethrough but do not permit the passage of liquids and solids.

Thus, the source of inert oxygen-free gas for the container f is automatic as opposed to being selectively operable. As the pressure within chamber 42 decreases due to discharge of the beer, the pressure is automatically reestablished by the generation of additional carbon dioxide.

The envelope 44 may be secured to and within the container 10' by and during the application of a rigid interat a relatively high temperature and the moisture thereof will immediately start the reaction to pressurize chamber 42' as soon as the container is sealed. A pressure of between about 10 to 20 p.s.i.g. is sufficient, with the same being replenished as the beer is discharged. In order to replenish the pressure in chamber 42, the gas source 26 may contain about 2 ounces of liquefied carbon dioxide which if completely discharged all at once would pressurize chamber 42 to a pressure of about 130 p.s.i.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.

I claim:

'1. An article of manufacture comprising a lightweight non-corrosive container, means supported by and at least partially disposed within said container for introducing an inert oxygen-free gas into said container for pressurizing space above a liquid adapted to be disposed in the container, and a selectively operable discharge means "oxygen-free gas may assist in' discharging a liquid from said container by way of said discharge means, and said means for introducing gas into said container including a semi-permeable envelope within said container, said envelope containing reactants with ,moisture to create a reversible reaction resulting in a gas capable of passing through the envelope.

2. An article of manufacture in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for introducing gas into said container includes a selectively operable gas source having a discharge port communicating with the interior of said container and having an actuator on the exterior of said container.

3. An article of manufacture in accordance with claim 1 wherein said reactants include aluminum carbide and sodium bicarbonate.

4. An article of manufacture "comprising an expendable lightweight non-metallic container, said container being rectangular in configuration, a gas pressure means supported by said container forintroducing carbon dio'xide into said container to prevent the spoilage of beer -within the container and to act as a discharge assistant,

' bellows and spigot in a collapsed position thereof.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 24,718 10/1959 Allen 222-5 2,514,773 7/1950 Kromer 222 -399 X 2,794,579 6/ 19 57 McKernan 22,2399 2,900,109 8/1959 Hoopes et a1 222l 2,950,846 8/1960 Clark et al. 22%399 3,053,422 9/ 1962 T enison et al 222--399 X 3,103,299 9/1963 Werft 222-1 ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

N. L. STACK, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN ARTICLE OF MANUFACTURE COMPRISING A LIGHTWEIGHT NON-CORROSIVE CONTAINER, MEANS SUPPORTED BY AND AT LEAST PARTIALLY DISPOSED WITHIN SAID CONTAINER FOR INTRODUCING AN INERT OXYGEN-FREE GAS INTO SAID CONTAINER FOR PRESSURIZING SPACE ABOVE A LIQUID ADAPTED TO BE DISPOSED IN THE CONTAINER, AND A SELECTIVELY OPERABLE DISCHARGE MEANS SUPPORTED BY SAID CONTAINER, WHEREBY THE PRESSURE OF AN OXYGEN-FREE GAS MAY ASSIST IN DISCHARGING A LIQUID FROM SAID CONTAINER BY WAY OF SAID DISCHARGE MEANS, AND SAID MEANS FOR INTRODUCING GAS INTO SAID CONTAINER INCLUDING A SEMI-PERMEABLE ENVELOPE WITHIN SAID CONTAINER, SAID ENVELOPE CONTAINING REACTANTS WITH MOISTURE TO CREATE A REVERSIBLE REACTION RESULTING IN A GAS CAPABLE OF PASSING THROUGH THE ENVELOPE. 